anglov

I am envious. I go to my surgeon's consult on 3-25. I wonder how long before it gets scheduled? I would say keep checking back with updates. We are all rooting for you and I am anxious for your tips or suggestions for me as you go along since I hope to be banded soon too. Good LUCK!!

:scared2:I really need to stop going on You Tube and looking up Lap band. I have come across a lot on complications and I can't help but check them out. I keep telling myself that the majority are patient error not the band itself but I am still very concerned. I am especially concerned because I have to pay for this surgery out of my pocket. I wonder if my insurance will cover any complications, other than actually have to do more surgery on me. I mean like if I get an infection or something like that. I am worried. I can't afford that. Another issue, is more being pissed off than a concern. I have seen postings where they say don't tell anyone. It is personal. Yes that is true that it is personal and it is your choice whether to tell people or not that you got banded but at the very least DON'T LIE about it. I know of someone who never let on that she had the band. She lost a lot of weight fast and when people asked her she said she was working out and dieting. They ooh'd and aah'd over her and bragged about her determination and success. Well then she ends up having plastic surgery for her arms because of all the hanging skin and a tummy tuck. Well it was weird because usually if you are dieting and working out then you would not lose weight so fast that your skin would hang to the point that you needed plastic surgery. Her closest friend spilled the beans last week during one of her usual ramblings that I tune out but this caught my ear and she suddenly was like well ummm she didn't want anyone to know. You LIAR!! After people started noticing her weight loss she started giving updates on her progress but all the while saying it was the workouts she did. We have a gym at work and she attended for a while but not after her plastic surgery. I am not saying who she is or repeating this to anyone else at work. I wasn't the only one there when she spilled the beans either. It is not my place to tell others her story but it just rubs me wrong that she pretended to be something she's not. There are several people at work that have either been banded or had gastric so it's not big news. Sorry just frustrated...

:scared2:I really need to stop going on You Tube and looking up Lap band. I have come across a lot on complications and I can't help but check them out. I keep telling myself that the majority are patient error not the band itself but I am still very concerned. I am especially concerned because I have to pay for this surgery out of my pocket. I wonder if my insurance will cover any complications, other than actually have to do more surgery on me. I mean like if I get an infection or something like that. I am worried. I can't afford that. Another issue, is more being pissed off than a concern. I have seen postings where they say don't tell anyone. It is personal. Yes that is true that it is personal and it is your choice whether to tell people or not that you got banded but at the very least DON'T LIE about it. I know of someone who never let on that she had the band. She lost a lot of weight fast and when people asked her she said she was working out and dieting. They ooh'd and aah'd over her and bragged about her determination and success. Well then she ends up having plastic surgery for her arms because of all the hanging skin and a tummy tuck. Well it was weird because usually if you are dieting and working out then you would not lose weight so fast that your skin would hang to the point that you needed plastic surgery. Her closest friend spilled the beans last week during one of her usual ramblings that I tune out but this caught my ear and she suddenly was like well ummm she didn't want anyone to know. You LIAR!! After people started noticing her weight loss she started giving updates on her progress but all the while saying it was the workouts she did. We have a gym at work and she attended for a while but not after her plastic surgery. I am not saying who she is or repeating this to anyone else at work. I wasn't the only one there when she spilled the beans either. It is not my place to tell others her story but it just rubs me wrong that she pretended to be something she's not. There are several people at work that have either been banded or had gastric so it's not big news. Sorry just frustrated...

I can't believe your surgeon didn't tell you to do a diet before surgery at least before now. That's hard up!! Good Luck! I know I have to do one and I have been gathering info for weeks. I have a two week pre-op diet and then 1-3 weeks after as well.

Then we schedule surgery. I am both excited and nervous. I am most scared of gaining weight before the surgery. I have edema so me swelling up 10 lbs in a day is nothing and usually no apparent cause. This is day 4 without a soft drink and no caffeine. I don't really miss it but I notice I am more thirsty now that I am drinking the bottled water that I put a sugar free flavor packet in. I really don't understand why I am more thirsty. I haven't really lost any weight and frankly sometimes it is hard to tell when I swell up.

Then we schedule surgery. I am both excited and nervous. I am most scared of gaining weight before the surgery. I have edema so me swelling up 10 lbs in a day is nothing and usually no apparent cause. This is day 4 without a soft drink and no caffeine. I don't really miss it but I notice I am more thirsty now that I am drinking the bottled water that I put a sugar free flavor packet in. I really don't understand why I am more thirsty. I haven't really lost any weight and frankly sometimes it is hard to tell when I swell up.

I know it is a temptation and she eats ALL day long. She's a grazer. I have replaced one meal a day with a protein shake but seeing her eat all morning makes me think about food whether I am hungry or not. When she is not there I don't think about eating at all. Being that she is my boss I must be diplomatic. I thought about a container under my desk but we have thieves in our company so I wouldn't be surprised if it went missing. Good suggestion though. thanks

I have found a water flavor packet that is great. I don't know if you have a Kroger grocery but it is Kroger's brand of Active Lifestyle Grape flavor. It is Immune Boost. You add to bottled water and shake. It has 600mg of Vitamin C. It has 50% RDA of several vitamins/minerals including B6/B12/Folic Acid and many others. I also tried the Pure Protein from Target that someone mentioned and the Cookies & Cream is good but it is simply a snack because it doesn't have vitamins/minerals for a meal replacement. It is 21g protein in a convenient can.

Ok, here is my problem. My boss decided to play musical desks and had several of us move around and I am now sitting right next to her. As her team leader it makes sense. What doesn't make sense is she has two food drawers. IN MY DESK!! Yes she has taken over 2 of my 5 drawers to put her food in because she doesn't have room at her desk. I am left with two skinny drawers and one that my file folders hang in. That is it. I have no room for the things I need to have on hand. I tried to move it but she got ticked off. When I start the all liquied diet I can't have that food in my desk. I have tried bringing it up but she doesn't want to hear it. Any advice?? I don't think it is fair to me when I am going through this but I also don't know how to get her to see it my way. Usually she is open to what I have to say.

Ok, here is my problem. My boss decided to play musical desks and had several of us move around and I am now sitting right next to her. As her team leader it makes sense. What doesn't make sense is she has two food drawers. IN MY DESK!! Yes she has taken over 2 of my 5 drawers to put her food in because she doesn't have room at her desk. I am left with two skinny drawers and one that my file folders hang in. That is it. I have no room for the things I need to have on hand. I tried to move it but she got ticked off. When I start the all liquied diet I can't have that food in my desk. I have tried bringing it up but she doesn't want to hear it. Any advice?? I don't think it is fair to me when I am going through this but I also don't know how to get her to see it my way. Usually she is open to what I have to say.

I haven't found any samples yet. Smoothie King also has protein powder you can buy. In Louisville Ky, it is the protein powder that one of the local hospitals refers its patients to use. I really like the lean shake from GNC and I add a scoop of wheybolic60 protein. I end up with 29g of protein per shake but is a little high on the calorie side so I am looking for other alternatives. The shake is 180 cal but the one scoop of added protein is an additional 80 cal. I drop a 1/2 a banana in mine with ice and water and it comes out really thick like a shake.

Thanks Trisha Lynne. I hope my doctor gives me some choices like that. I will find out the 25th exactly what I have to do. The lean shake by GNC adding a scoop of wheybolic 60 is pretty good and a total of 29g protein and 8g fiber. They are both chocolate. I think I will get vanilla next so I can mix more flavors. There isn't a whole lot you can mix with chocolate. The hardest part is going to be at work. Everyone eats at their desks so food is constantly around and of course when you have only liquids I know it is going to be very tempting.

Thanks, these are all great suggestions. I recently tried the GNC lean shake and added a scoop of wheybolic. Both chocolate. I mixed it with water and ice and a 1/2 banana and it was very good. The lean shake only has 9g protein but the wheybolic has 20g per scoop. I am definitely going to try an unflavored to add to soup so I can have a hot "meal" of sorts.

I told some of my co-workers. Definitely my boss. These are people I deal with daily and that usually involves meals. I also want their support. If they know I have lap band they won't intentionally or unintentionally bring foods around that I can't have. At least during the initial weeks. I know that at some point I will be able eat all foods and then it will be my choice but at first I am very limited and I need their help. Plus if I were to have a complication I wouldn't have to explain. I haven't told all of my family and I may not. I am not as close to some of my family as I am to my co-workers. Sad as that is. I need support and knowing that they know will keep me on track or shame me if I don't. I need that accountability.

I had my initial intake in January 2010. I then scheduled my surgeon's consult for March 25. Two weeks ago I got my paperwork for the surgery and it said if I gain weight between the intake and my surgeon's consult then they may not schedule my surgery. If they do schedule it and I gain any weight between my consult and the surgery they will cancel it and if I don't lose the required weight before surgery to shrink my liver they may cancel it. Wish I had known that at the intake visit in January instead of just finding out two weeks ago. I am starting to replace one meal a day this next week and then work my way up to the all meals once I am told to start the all liquid diet. Hopefull I will lose a little weight doing this way until I start the all liquid diet. Needless to say I am weighing myself daily. I have a tendency to retain Fluid and my legs/feet swell up and as luck would have it, they have been swelling a lot the past few days since my doctor switched up my BP meds. ...last suppers...try not to think of it as something you will miss. At some point you could have those foods again in extreme moderation so look at it as you will get it later. If you go on the thinking you will NEVER have it again then you will pig out on it and pay for that. I could list a lot of foods I love and know I won't have for a long while. Is it worth it to pig on it now?? No it's not. My sugery hopefully will be mid april. I will know March 25. We can all do it if we stick together.

Good suggestion. I never thought of that. Does it add any kind of funkiness to the milk? Like a gritty or chalkiness? I did get some recipes from the doctor about adding unflavored whey to broth or clear/smooth soups. Which would be nice for a meal.

I need help with suggestions and recipes for protein shakes that don't taste horrible and do not have aspartame. I am supposed to have between 70-100 grams of protein a day and no more than 800-1000 calories per day. I tried the doctor's shakes and they are nasty!! I went to GNC and they suggesed the Lean Shake which has 9g protein and all the nutrients and mix in a scoop of the wheybolic60 which has 20g protein per scoop. I haven't tried it yet.

Okay, I thought I would order a couple of flavors of the protein shakes my doctor's office sells to see which flavors I would like before I buy more. Can I just say...YUCK!! There is no way I can drink several of those a day for 2-3 weeks. I am supposed to have 70-100 grams of protein a day plus it must be a meal replacement and only 800-maybe 1000 calories a day. Most of the meal replacements that are palatable only have about 10 grams of protein and tons of sugar. I also have to have one without aspartame. I can tolerate other sweeteners but I cannot tolerate aspartame. Any suggestions would be helpful. I have to go on an all liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery so I thought I would start now by replacing just one meal a day trying out different flavors and recipes.

Okay, I thought I would order a couple of flavors of the protein shakes my doctor's office sells to see which flavors I would like before I buy more. Can I just say...YUCK!! There is no way I can drink several of those a day for 2-3 weeks. I am supposed to have 70-100 grams of protein a day plus it must be a meal replacement and only 800-maybe 1000 calories a day. Most of the meal replacements that are palatable only have about 10 grams of protein and tons of sugar. I also have to have one without aspartame. I can tolerate other sweeteners but I cannot tolerate aspartame. Any suggestions would be helpful. I have to go on an all liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery so I thought I would start now by replacing just one meal a day trying out different flavors and recipes.

Today I started going through my information received at intake to work on my diet. I figure I need to start making changes gradually so by the time I am forced to make changes I will be in the right frame of mind to do it. For me at this particular time I am cutting out caffeine and carbonated soft drinks. That is going to be so impossible for me. I LOVE my grape soda. Caffeine not so much of a big deal. I HATE drinking plain water, even the flavored is nasty unless it has sugar in it. That's a habit I need to work on now rather than later. http://anglovato.blogspot.com/

Today I started going through my information received at intake to work on my diet. I figure I need to start making changes gradually so by the time I am forced to make changes I will be in the right frame of mind to do it. For me at this particular time I am cutting out caffeine and carbonated soft drinks. That is going to be so impossible for me. I LOVE my grape soda. Caffeine not so much of a big deal. I HATE drinking plain water, even the flavored is nasty unless it has sugar in it. That's a habit I need to work on now rather than later. http://anglovato.blogspot.com/

I will have to do the 2 week liquid diet before surgery too. Right now my surgery will probably be mid April. I will know more at my surgeon's consult on March 25. I am really worried about the liquid diet. I have never done that before and shoot I can barely stick to a low cal diet as it is. I dread working and not being able to eat solid foods for two weeks before I even get the surgery.

I had my intake appt Jan 26. I have my PET scan/stress test March 10, EKG and chest xray March 12 and surgeon's consult March 25. They said surgery will be scheduled about 2 weeks later. I am hoping this surgery will be the beginning for me. I have HBP, type 2 diabetes, reflux and high cholesterol.

I had my intake appt Jan 26. I have my PET scan/stress test March 10, EKG and chest xray March 12 and surgeon's consult March 25. They said surgery will be scheduled about 2 weeks later. I am hoping this surgery will be the beginning for me. I have HBP, type 2 diabetes, reflux and high cholesterol.

My employer excluded it even if medically necessary. I am going self-pay. It would have been nice to have insurance cover it but this is for me so I will do what I have to do.